


Breathe Me to Life (and Let Me Drown)

by CosplayAdventures



Series: Through dull green eyes [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, BAMF Haruno Sakura, Everyone lives, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Founding of Konoha, Happy Ending, Haruno Sakura-centric, Hashirama/Madara bromance, Izuna/Sakura friendship, M/M, Mokuton Sakura, Multi, Nobody Dies, Slow Burn, Tobirama/Sakura Friendship, Tobirama/Sakura/Izuna Friendship, Warring States Period (Naruto), a little pining between those three of you squint, but it get better later, hopefully, things get bad, warring era
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2020-12-27 22:28:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21126269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CosplayAdventures/pseuds/CosplayAdventures
Summary: Sakura had seen them heading towards each other, arms ready, and deadly jutsu’s aiming to kill.Faster then before, she whipped past her Sensei who yelled at her to stop, but she wouldn’t. Not this time. Not ever. She wasn’t going to be left behind again. Never again.She slid to a halt in front of her boys. Green eyes ablaze in anger, sorrow, and acceptance.She felt herself drift until she wasn’t. Her dull green eyes fluttered open, his words echoing in her mind.“It was not your time, child.”





	1. Chapter 1

Sakura had seen them heading towards each other, arms ready, and deadly jutsu’s aiming to kill.

She was brought back to the hospital roof where she watched as they aimed to kill each other, even if they weren’t completely aware last time. She had felt useless back then, fear shooting through her body.  They were going to die. 

Just like back then, the fear washed over her. But anger appeared too nearly over powering the fear. She just got her team back. She was finally able to prove herself, then they pull this off. How dare they?

And just like back then, she  moved.

Faster then before, she whipped past her Sensei who yelled at her to stop, but she wouldn’t. Not this time. Not ever. She wasn’t going to be left behind again. Never again.

She slid to a halt in front of her boys. Green eyes ablaze in anger, sorrow, and acceptance.

Naruto screamed in sorrow. He couldn’t stop now. He watched as he drew closer with horror. 

Sakura clenched her teeth at the scorching pain that shot throughout her body. The skin under both attacks caved and blood went spraying, skin and muscle burning as the jutsu’s went through her body. 

There was pain and then there was nothing but darkness.

Sakura accepted her fate.

She felt like she was drifting away in cold water. Away from the distant cries of Naruto. She could distantly hear Sasuke’s monotone voice cleverly hiding grief. She’s surprised that he’s sad to see her go.

No point pondering on it now.

Sakura felt as if she had been drifting for hours, days even. It was cold here, but she didn’t mind. It was quiet here unlike the war she had been in when she was alive.

Sakura had her eyes open in the darkness, so she was quick to notice a light in the distance. It was like a fire. She blinked as she moved herself towards the light.

She stopped in front of the fire, surprised to feel the heat warming her cold body. 

“Warm isn’t it?” A baritone voice spoke to her right.

Sakura whipped her head to the right, hand automatically moving to a kunai pouch that wasn’t even there. 

There was an older man hovering in the air, legs crossed as he stared into the fire. His skin had a tan complexion from the fire, and his eyes wrinkled as he smiled gently at her.

Sakura frowned, “who are you?” She hadn’t meant to sound rude.

The old man seemed to understand that, smile widening as he glanced back at the fire. “I am known as many things, little one. But your people knew me as the sage of six paths.”

Sakura gasped in surprise. “Naruto mentioned you when he had died!!” 

The sage of six paths nodded gravely. 

“Yes. I had met him. I had gifted him along with his friend in order to seal away Kaguya. However, I had not expected another outcome to occur.”

Sakura narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?” The Sage looked over at her, expression serious. It sent a chill down her spine.

“It is not your time.” At her confused look, the sage of six paths shook his head. “It is not your time,” he repeats. “So I will send you back.”

Sakura shook her head violently. “I don’t want to. I finally found my peace!” 

The sage sighed sadly. “I am very sorry. But you must understand. Kaguya was not sealed correctly,” Sakura gasped. “She will return and have her vengeance. Naruto and Sasuke will not be able to seal her a second time.” 

Sakura shook. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Kaguya would be back? They all fought hard and lives were lost, and it was for nothing? Sakura felt grief and anger battle inside her. This wasn’t fair!

“You must go back. Not to the time of your death, no.” The sage moved closer. “I will send you back to the beginning. Before it all began. You will destroy Zetsu before he has the chance to corrupt Madara Uchiha-“ At Sakura’s flinch, the sage smiled sadly. “I understand your fear of him, but Madara is not the same one you fought in the war.”

Sakura sighed out shakily, nodding. It was a lot of pressure on her. What could she do? She wasn’t Naruto or Sasuke. Hell, she wasn’t even up to there level. “Okay...” Still. She was going to give it a chance. She could afford all the hard work of her people to be for nothing.

She wanted to be useful.

The sage of six paths smiled proudly. “Good. I will give you a gift to aid you on your journey. But remember,” he leaned closer. “Save Madara from corruption, save Izuna, and destroy Zetsu. I leave the rest to you. Good luck.”

Before she could even ask who this Izuna person was, she felt herself drop. 

Sakura felt a scream tear from her throat as she felt wind whip around her, blowing her hair in every direction. 

The Sage of Six Paths grew distant until he disappeared completely from her sight. 

Her body felt as if it was being torn apart, which brought out another shrill scream from her mouth. 

It hurts!!

The overwhelming pain lasted for what felt like hours until it completely disappeared. 

She felt herself slam into a cold surface until she was completely emerged into the cold.

The pain was back with a vengeance, but she couldn’t scream this time. It felt like she couldn’t move. Everything burned and felt numb at the same time.

It was like she was still drifting in the afterlife except she could feel  everything. 

Hot, burning hands gripped her freezing arms, pulling her up, up, up until light burned at her closed eyelids.

Sakura felt as if she was out of her body. She could feel everything but she wasn’t there. Distorted sounds echoed in her head. It almost sounded like words.

“-ead?” 

“I-on’t-know”

“She’s-eathing!”

The words were muffled but it wasn’t hard to realize the voices belonged to males.

“Bring her to-“

“How is-live?”

Sakura felt her eyebrow twitched. 

“She’s waking-“

Sakura groaned. Everything still hurt. She wanted to feel numb again. 

“Hurry-need to warm her-“

The voices were getting more clear now. 

“She’s waking up.” The voice sounded familiar for some reason.

Sakura forced her eyes to open, blinking away the bleariness away until she could see clearly.

Green eyes met kind brown ones.

Sakura blinked once. Twice. Three times.

Sakura stared into brown eyes that belonged to Hashirama Senju. 

“Holy shit-“


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I did not look this over so if it’s terrible, then I apologize. I did this while I was sleep deprived ><  
Hope you guys like it anyway!

Maybe Sakura could have handled that a bit differently. Well, completely different.

If Naruto were there with here, he would have been cackling in glee at her embarrassment. As soon as Sakura had managed to regain consciousness, she came face to face with a man (or boy in this case) that looked eerily similar to Hashirama Senju. 

But that’s impossible! There was no way that that he was alive. He must be someone else, which gave her a damn good reason to scream and punch him across the field. He shouldn't have been so close to her to begin with!

Which lead Sakura to her current situation. She was running at full speed away from the Hashirama look-a-like. She could tell by his calls that he was getting closer to her faster than she anticipated. She mused on whether he was a Shinobi, since no regular civilian would be capable of such high speed.

Sakura cried out as a branch uprooted itself causing her to stumble down a steep hill. She dug her hands into the rocky surface beneath her, stalling her tumble until she slowed to a stop. Sakura hissed in pain as the dirt and pebbles grinded against her open wounds harshly. She gasped harsh breath trying to regain her bearings.   
  


Sakura clenched her jaw, pushing herself up onto trembling legs. The world spun around her, black spots washing over her vision as she looked up to where the Shinobi landed a few feet away from her. Sakura curled her lips into a snarl, tensing as he rose his hands. “I mean no harm!” He consoled. His lips curled into an easy going smile, raising his bare hands in front of him. 

“Who are you?” Sakura internally cringed at how raspy her voice sounded. She distantly wondered how long she had been out for her voice to sound so disused. 

”My name is Hashirama.” No last name. Sakura didn’t need him to reveal it. She already had an answer to where to was now. Sakura couldn’t help but stare, mouth dropping in shock. If he really was Hashirama Senju, the first Hokage and the god of all Shinobi...then that meant she was in the warring era. 

How did she get here?

Sakura’s head throbbed. She couldn’t really recall anything from before. What was she doing? It all seemed like a blur. Her whole life seemed to blur into a blob with only snippets of information appearing, but she wasn’t so sure whether that random information was helpful in this situation. He didn’t appear to be Hokage just yet. He appeared a bit too young compared to the history paintings portrayed him as. 

Sakura eyed Hashirama warily. Could she trust him? She wasn’t sure. What should she do? He was the shodaime! If she had to fight him then she would lose. She was low on chakra, and she was pretty sure that her injuries were infected. She-

“You are injured,” it didn’t sound like a question. “I can help you.” Sakura bit her lip nervously. She should trust him. He’s her Hokage after all.

Sakura lowered her trembling fist. “If you try anything funny, I won’t hesitate to punt you to next week!” She watched in satisfaction as Hashirama winced. She could already see the bruise from earlier forming. 

Hashirama treaded closer, hands glowing a deep forest green. Sakura took a sharp breath through her nose as she felt his warm chakra wash over her. She could tell that he had no idea what he was doing. He was just pushing chakra into her and letting the healing chakra wash over her.

But that wasn’t what made her inhale sharply. Sakura felt her own chakra react to Hashirama’s. The little that she had hummed under her skin, pushing and gliding against Hashirama’s chakra. She felt more than saw him flinch in surprise, chakra flaring at the feel of another persons chakra embracing his. It was intimate, too close, too personal. Sakura flinched away, gasping. Her wounds gave a little twinge, not fully healed but healed enough to not let her bleed out to death. 

They stared at each other in silence, eyes wide. Sakura couldn’t wrap her head around what the hell happened, but she knew how it felt. Familiar, nastalgic perhaps. Like returning to a place that you never knew was missing. She didn’t understand.   
  


Hashirama swallowed thickly. “Who are you?” Sakura blinked slowly. She wasn’t sure what to say. “I-“ Sakura let out a cry as a sharp pain laced through her head, falling forward as the pain increased to unbearable heights. 

The last thing she saw was Hashirama’s panicked face as he lunged forward to catch her. His chakra, even with him intending it, brushed against her own and that was all she knew before darkness greeted her. This time though, she didn’t fall into the darkness with a bitter acceptance like last time she closed her eyes. This time, it was soothing.


	3. Natures Gift

Hashirama stared down at the women in his arms-he was pretty sure this was a women. Even if she was wearing men’s clothing, he could tell by the shape of her feminine features. Hashirama frowned, gently rubbing the mud off her filthy cheek. 

Hashirama had been on a solo patrol east of his home wondering the woods and admiring the animals. It was the first day of spring and the flowers and nature had just begun coming to life. He made the excuse to patrol the area just so he could admire the beauty that was his home. Nature, as odd as it was to the rest of his family, was his greatest treasures. He loved nature and nature loved him. 

The best stories always came from the wise, old trees.

A few hours prior, he had been sitting cross legged with his head tilted back against one of the tallest trees he had ever seen. The bark was covered in moss and withered from the many seasons. Hashirama had his eyes closed, listening to the whispers of the trees and music from the wild life. This was the closest he had to peace in a long time. A despondent air hung heavy around him. Hashirama had been part of the last skirmish a few days prior, and it still upset him to just think about it.

Madara had finally become clan head. Hashirama had hoped with the change that Madara would actually begin to listen to his pleas to peace, but his old friend did not seem interested to hear it. That day had been a brutal eye opener to how much his friend had changed. It appeared that he had given up on the idea of peace. Hashirama had sighed sadly before shaking his head quickly. That did not matter! That just meant that Hashirama had to try harder to prove how good peace would be for everyone. No more children would have to die from this war. It was long over do to end.

Hashirama paused in his musings when he heard the trees begin to sing. That probably is not the best term to describe what was happening, but it was the best he could do. The trees chakra thrummed as if thrilled about something. The whispers were too jumbled and distant to make out what the trees were saying, but there was one thing for sure. Something had arrived.

Hashirama bounced up to his feet, nearly tripping over himself to see what had arrived. He could feel a thrum of chakra nearby that felt familiar, yet he had never met someone with chakra like that. It felt like _his _chakra but heavier. Hashirama paused at the tree line, staring across the field to see a person laying curled up on the ground. Hashirama let his eyes glide over the persons figure, noticing the tears and dirt that clung to the shinobi’s attire. He was sure that was a shinobi, the clothing looked too well established for a civilian even with all the rips on the fabric. Hashirama treaded closer cautiously, observing how the flowers around this person seemed to curl around their body. Which, Hashirama blinked, was surprisingly familiar. He glanced down at his feet where flowers curled around his own feet, thoughts running wild.

Was this person a Senju? He never met this person and yet they seem to have similar abilities of his own.

Hashirama kneeled down in front of the unconscious shinobi, blinking at the dirty blonde- or was that light brown?- hair. It looks as if they hadn’t washed their hair in a long time. Hashirama wrinkled his nose. Actually, it appeared they hadn’t showered in general with all the mud covering their body. However, Hashirama glanced over their wounds (bleeding slowly which is a good sign that the injuries hasn’t punctured any arteries), perhaps they are justified if they were too busy battling to save their life.

Hashirama froze when he glanced up at their face to see dull green eyes staring back at him. Kami-sama, it was like staring at a living corpse. Or worse, Hashirama felt a shudder trail down his spine, Tobirama’s scornful glare whenever he did something he considered foolish.

He wasn’t expecting the shinobi to scream or punch him across the field for that matter. That punch was absolutely terrifying. He wasn’t aware anyone could hit that hard.

Which lead to his current situation. Hashirama wasn’t just going to live a young lady out in the fields unconscious. Especially if nature adored her as much as it adored him. She could be a lost Senju for all he knew! That lead to only one option. 

He was taking her home.

”Absolutely not.”

”Brother! You didn’t even let me finish!” Hashirama pouted, widening his eyes pitifully as he stared at his brother. Tobirama had appeared a few feet away from the compound, stopping Hashirama before he even had the chance to sneak in. Tobirama tilted his nose up, glaring down at his brother while he eyed the person in his arms suspiciously. 

“I know what you’re going to say, and I said no.” Tobirama scowled. “She is an outsider. For all we know, she could be a spy!” 

Hashirama gaped. “But brother, she is injured! How could she possibly be a spy if she is injured?” Tobirama stared at his brother blankly. He couldn’t comprehend how idiotic his older brother could be. “She could have inflicted those injuries herself-“ Hashirama made a sound of protest. Tobirama held out a hand to silence him, “No, Anija. Put her back.” Hashirama wilted, staring down at the unconscious women in his arms.

He could not do that. Not when he still has so many questions for her. She could be just like him...something in his chest tightened, and he stood up straighter. Tobirama had already turned from him to head back to the compound. Hashirama took a deep steadying breath before calling out to his younger brother,

”She has natures gift.”

Tobirama froze. 

There was a tense silence before Tobirama turned to face Hashirama and the women in his arms. Tobirama’s face was blank, but Hashirama knew that look. He was thinking. If what Hashirama said was true and this women did have the mokuton, then that just made this situation much more complicated. 

Hashirama nodded, face for once somber. “When I found her, nature curled around her as if protecting her from something.” Hashirama stared at his brother with a pleading look. Tobirama frowned. He stared at his brother a few minutes longer, letting the silence hang heavy in the air before he scoffed. “Fine.” Tobirama turned on his heel and stormed back into their compound, “But she will be watched at all times. If she does anything suspicious, I will dispose of her myself.” Hashirama gave a blinding grin at his grumpy brothers back as he followed at his heel. “Of course!” Hashirama would not allow that to happen-a possessive part of himself murmured, but he ignored it to smile happily at his possible new friend with the same gift as himself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to get this out now before anyone mistakes Hashirama’s interests. His relationship with Sakura won’t be romantic. Although, he will still be over protective of her. Like an older sibling, probably.
> 
> Also, I am sorry for any grammar mistakes I make! I noticed a lot in my previous chapter and tried to correct them, but I am pretty sure there’s still some mistakes that I missed. 
> 
> Let me know what you think about this story, and what might happen next!


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